Wire stuffing cover

Abstract

A one-piece wire stuffing cover having a series of tubular terminal receiving sockets with wire gripping slots at front and rear faces and respective wire stuffers between the slots, lead-out openings for wires terminated by the cover being provided in the sockets rearward of the wire stuffers. The lead-out openings are provided by rebated portions in the sockets which define wire engaging shoulders extending across a rear axial end of the terminal for strain relief. The slots in the rear face diverge progressively to release the wire at the rear face during termination.

We claim: 
     
       1. A molded one piece resilient plastic cover for a tubular terminal having but one axially extending wire receiving slot comprises a socket profiled to closely receive the terminal, the socket having a blind end adjacent a first face of the cover and an opposed open end at a second, terminal receiving face of the cover, the cover having opposed front and rear faces extending between the first and second faces, an axially extending wire gripping slot in a socket wall at the front face and opening on the terminal receiving face, and a stuffer extending axially from the blind end of the socket for engagement with a wire when the cover is applied to a terminal, characterized by a second axially extending wire gripping slot formed in a socket wall at the rear face of the cover and opening on the terminal receiving face, the slot extending above the terminal when the cover is fully applied thereto,   a wire lead-out opening communicating between the blind end of the socket behind the stuffer and the second axially extending wire gripping slot where it extends above the terminal when the cover is fully applied,   the stuffer being profiled to permit the wire to be drawn into the terminal behind the stuffer as the cover is applied to the terminal to force the wire into the wire receiving slot thereof, whereby   the wire will extend through the lead-out opening and out of the second wire gripping slot when the cover is fully applied.   
     
     
       2. A cover according to claim 1 in which a portiion of the blind end of the socket located rearwardly of the stuffer is recessed to define the lead-out opening. 
     
     
       3. A cover according to claim 2 in which the recessed portion provides a wire engaging shoulder located to extend across a rear axial end of the terminal. 
     
     
       4. A cover according to claim 2 in which the slot formed at the rear face extends to the first face of the cover. 
     
     
       5. A cover according to claim 4 in which the wire gripping slot formed at the rear face of the cover increases in width as it extends towards the first face. 
     
     
       6. A cover according to claim 4 in which the wire gripping slot formed at the front face of the cover decreases in width as it extends toward the first face. 
     
     
       7. A cover according to claim 1 in which the stuffer is hemicylindrical, a curved surface extending adjacent the front face. 
     
     
       8. A cover according to claim 1 in which a first tool-receiving slot extends longitudinally of the first face and a second slot extending adjacent the first slot to provide a resilient wall portion between the slots, which flexes to receive and grip a tool inserted in the first tool receiving slot. 
     
     
       9. A cover according to claim 1 wherein a series of such sockets are formed therein, the cover being directed to mass insertion of a parallel array of wires into a row of tubular terminals.